Starting an Heirloom Vegetable Garden

Tips for growing heirloom vegetablesby Esther Sung

T
hink of heirloom vegetables—sometimes referred to as heritage vegetables—and you'll probably envision tomatoes of the Yellow Brandywine, Green Zebra, pear, or fuzzy peach varieties. But a trip to the farmers' market or a well-stocked local produce shop will highlight the multitude of produce considered heirloom, including melons, cucumbers, and squash. The term heirloom applies to plants that have a traceable lineage and have been grown for many years. (Exact timelines vary, but the "youngest" heirlooms might date back to the mid 20th century, and many are decades if not a century older.) Other key characteristics for heirlooms are that they are open-pollinated (relying on nature—insects, wind—for pollination), and they produce true-to-type offspring, generating identical traits in each successive crop.

So what's the buzz about? Most people grow heirloom vegetables for their superior, "truer" flavor, but the gardeners' motivations may be many, according to Jere Gettle, coauthor of The Heirloom Life Gardener: The Baker Creek Way of Growing Your Own Food Easily and Naturally (Hyperion) and cofounder of the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Gardening with heirlooms provides a way to participate in a local, sustainable agriculture and economy; creates a tangible (and edible) connection to your food and its history; and offers a means to diversify and customize your garden.

Whatever compels you to grow heirloom varieties of your favorite vegetables, this can be a fun and rewarding endeavor for even a beginner gardener. Some heirloom vegetables are easier to cultivate than others—depending on the environment, climate, and the inherent characteristics of a specific variety—but as Gettle points out, "everyone was growing heirloom varieties up until about 50 or 60 years ago," when corporations began to develop and trademark their own seed variations. Here, he offers some tips for growing heirloom vegetables in your garden. (For additional information, read our article on starting a vegetable garden.)

Sources for Heirloom Seeds

Beekman 1802

Colonial Nursery, Colonial Williamsburg

D. Landreth Seed Company

Down to Earth Seeds

Fedco-Seeds

Hudson Valley Seed Library

Johnny's Selected Seeds

Monticello

Native Seeds/SEARCH

Plimoth Plantation

Sand Hill Preservation Center

Seed Savers Exchange

Victory Seeds

Start with Easy-to-Grow Heirloom Vegetables

1. Beets
"Both the greens and roots are edible, and do well in fairly hot or cold weather. There's really no place in the continental U.S. where they can't be grown easily and successfully." Heirloom varieties to try planting: Detroit Dark Red, Lutz Salad Leaf, Blood Turnip, Crosby's EgyptianBeet recipes to try:
 Beet and Beet Green Risotto with Horseradish
 Beet Flowers and Beet Greens Vinaigrette
 Golden and Long Beet Salad with Roquefort

Seek Heirloom Varieties That Suit Your Needs

The beauty of heirlooms is that you can find specific vegetables suited to your own tastes, growing climate, and purpose. "Almost all heirlooms were developed for variety. If you like sweet tomatoes, there are sweeter varieties. If you're looking for a large one, those exist, too." Not all heirloom varieties will necessarily taste better than, say, a hybrid from a grocery store, but as Gettle points out, "an heirloom Long Keeper tomato, for instance, may not necessarily taste any better, but unlike that supermarket hybrid, the Long Keeper will stay fresh for several months because it was developed for that purpose."

Diversify Your Garden

While it certainly makes sense to plant seeds that have been developed for your particular region or in places with similar growing conditions, it's fun to explore heirlooms from other regions and even other countries. Gettle encourages growing "varieties that reflect your own ethnic or cultural heritage, as well as types that are specific to the cuisines you like to cook." Some possibilities include the Japanese Katsura Giant Pickling melon, a Russian tomato such as Black Krim, or Padrón, a Spanish pepper variety.

Save Seeds

Seed saving at home is one way you can economize on seed costs for the next planting season, and by doing so, you'll help perpetuate heirloom varieties. For the beginner or casual seed saver, Gettle recommends growing common beans, peas, eggplant, tomatoes, and cowpeas. "They're easy because they self-pollinate [their flowers have both stigma and anthers], and they don't cross with other varieties."

Allow Produce to Ripen

In order to harvest and save seeds from your heirloom vegetables, you must allow the produce to ripen on the plant. For many vegetables and fruits, like peppers and melons, the point of ripeness coincides with when they're ready to be eaten. For vegetables that are consumed before reaching full maturity, like zucchini and summer squash, resist the urge to pluck and let the vegetable grow past what you think is its prime before digging in for the seeds. Gettle recommends taking a sample to determine the readiness of the crop: "If the seeds are soft, whitish, or hollow, they're not ripe. You'll have to wait longer before trying again."

Store Saved Seeds Properly

Seeds need to dry out before being stored in a cool, dry place. The drying process can take two to three weeks: Lay the seeds in a single layer on a surface that allows for plenty of air circulation. A simple setup such as a newspaper or paper plate in front of a sunny window will work. Use a fan to generate a gentle breeze to speed things up. When dry, store the seeds in plastic bags, glass jars, or envelopes at room temperature, or if you choose to refrigerate or freeze your seeds, try an airtight container. Properly stored, seeds will be good for next year's plantings, and even for several years to come.